AT ONE FITNESS

A BIG HIT IN HOLLYWOOD
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Julian Turner talks to a Muay Thai devotee from Saraburi who has built a new gym in Los Angeles

Published: 21/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Sports

It's a long, long way from the Saraburi countryside to the bright lights of Hollywood and Dej "Nokweed" Sri-Ampai has had to overcome many obstacles before opening his own Muay Thai gym in Los Angeles.

NEWVENTURE: Nokweed’s gymin California.

The 48-year-old was born into a working family in Phra Phutthabat, boxed as a teenager and slept at Wat Maha That Yuwarat Rangsarit while studying for an agricultural degree at Kasetsart University.

After completing his studies he travelled to the USA in 1988, but the trip turned into an education of a different kind when he was forced to work a series of menial jobs to make ends meet.

"I'm not a city boy but I was able to adapt and I wasn't afraid to work hard," said Dej.

"The first job I had was as a care assistant for handicapped people, then I worked in a 7/11 and also drove a cab.
"I was living from day-to-day but it helped me adjust quickly to life over there.

"You can do what you want in the USA. You can be a bad person if you want because the bars and casinos are open all night. But if you want to work hard and try to succeed then you can do that too."

Dej soon headed to Hawaii to put his education to good use by working on an orchid farm before travelling around the USA in search of a place to call home.

He eventually settled in Los Angeles and began teaching Muay Thai to martial arts fans, although he described how when he started out the discipline was virtually unknown in the States.

"Karate and Kung Fu were popular and nobody really know much about Muay Thai but the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts has really pushed the sport into everyone's minds
.
"MMA is huge in the USA and the stand-up aspect of that sport is basically Muay Thai.

OFFICIAL: Dej ‘‘Nokweed’’ Sri-Ampai, right, raises a fighter’s arm in LA. Pol General Kovid Bhakdibhumi is stood at the left.
"Muay Thai proved itself to be a system that works and MMA fights are now basically Muay Thai while the fighters are on their feet and Ju Jitsu while they are on the ground.

"People in MMA are also trying to keep the fighters on their feet for as long as possible because that is what fans want to see and that benefits us more too."

Nokweed believes that fans of Muay Thai and those who like MMA are very different.

"Muay Thai fans respect the sport, its history and the relationship between teachers and students while MMA supporters seem to just want to watch a fight," he said.
"I teach respect at my gym and I tell my pupils that they should not only want to become fighters, they should also learn all about the background of Muay Thai and what it represents."
He said that in Los Angeles there are more than 100 gyms teaching Muay Thai but less then five of them are run by Thais.
His is the first to be recognised by the Sports Authority of Thailand and he has close links with WBC Muay Thai.

Nokweed also became the first Thai to be approved by the California State Athletic Commission and is involved in professional boxing with the WBC.

The former boxer conducts training seminars and is often selected to work on fight promotions in various capacities.

Last year he was chosen by the WBC to travel to Mexico to work as an official when Thailand's Devid Lookmahanak fought Jorge Arce in a bull ring in front of 18,000 fans.

"The atmosphere was incredible and it was a real experience," he said.

Now, his immediate focus is on his gym, Muay Thai School USA, which is on Weddington Street 10 minutes away from Universal Studios.

The gym also contains full weights facilities and even a ballet dancing section which is run by his wife.

He said 400 people signed up when he first opened and he has attracted people of all races.

But this isn't just a flight of fancy as Nokweed has staked his future on the gym being prosperous.

"It has taken a lot of hard work to get this far so I hope this all works out for me," he said.

"When I decided to open the gym I wanted it to be the best it could be.

"All my working life I have tried to do my best, I didn't just want to open a gym for the sake of it. This means a lot to me.
"We teach people self-defence, fitness and about Thai culture and then hope they will tell their friends about the experience so that they also join."

Nokweed made a big step by opening the gym but was also hit hard by the death of his mother soon afterwards.
He said he had always hoped that she would have been able to visit and see what he had achieved, but was now concentrating on working hard in her memory.

"I hope she would have been proud of what I am doing," he said.
With his determined attitude and a firm intention to represent Thailand positively in the USA, it looks like many more people could also have a good reason to be pleased with what Dej is trying to accomplish.